Monday, 27 June 2016
Another Spot Red
A morning look at Bowling Green Marsh got me a non breeding Spotted Redshank , there has been one in full breeding plumage on the marsh for a few days but I have not managed to see it yet so this one was a nice surprise , it was in with a flock of 20+ Common Redshank , Gulls have started to build up on the marsh now with 1000+ Black-Headed Gull , a 1st summer Common Gull , 1st summer Mediterranean Gull & a Lesser Black-Backed Gull seen , as all of the edges have now been cut giving a clear view...well done RSPB ! , also seen were 2 Sandwich Tern , a fly over Eurasian Sparrowhawk and a male Reed Bunting .
Wednesday, 22 June 2016
Snatch of the Day !!
An afternoon look around Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham got me 6 Eurasian Wigeon , 20+ Black-Tailed Godwit , 1 Eurasian Oystercatcher , a fly over Whimbrel , 20+ Common House Martin , 5 Barn Swallow , a single Common Sand Martin , 10 Black-Billed Magpie , 2 Blackcap and 2 Common Chiffchaff , but the best thing today was watching a Common Buzzard swoop down and snatch a Mallard off of the ground and fly off with it , something that I have never seen before !!!
Monday, 13 June 2016
Bee Orchid
This morning I went to the Exeter Vale Tesco Store to look for Bee Orchids that are behind the building and I managed to see a few of them , my next stop was at Bowling Green Marsh where it was nearly the same as yesterday with 11 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 15 Black-Tailed Godwit , a nice adult and 1st summer Mediterranean Gull`s , a Little Egret and 2 Stock Dove .
Sunday, 12 June 2016
On the marsh again !
Another look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning got my first Mediterranean Gull of the autumn with a 1st summer bird , there was also a 1st summer Common Gull and they were showing in with a flock of around 100+ Black-Headed Gull , there was also 9 Bar-Tailed Godwit with a couple in nice summer plumage , around a dozen Black-Tailed Godwit and a few Common House Martin .
Friday, 10 June 2016
Bowling Green Marsh
I made a trip down to Bowling Green Marsh this morning it was my first visit for quite a while and looking out from the hide you could very easily see why !! most of the birds were on the near side of the marsh but you could not see most of them because they were obscured by the thistles and large foliage on the edge of the lake , as an RSPB Reserve this must be one of the worst managed ones !! the wardens get told about the problems but it just goes in one ear and right out of the other and all they tell you are false promises about what they are going to do to the marsh that never happen ..... RSPB take note !!!
Anyway there was not a lot to see on the marsh even if you could ! with the best being 11 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 6 whimbrel and a flock of 50+ Eurasian Oystercatcher an unusual count for the marsh
Anyway there was not a lot to see on the marsh even if you could ! with the best being 11 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 6 whimbrel and a flock of 50+ Eurasian Oystercatcher an unusual count for the marsh
Tuesday, 7 June 2016
The East Devon Commons
This afternoon I had a look around quite a few of the East Devon Commons and I had quite a nice time walking in the sunshine , not a lot of different birds were seen but I did see a male and 2 female Dartford Warbler , Common Stonechat were seen everywhere as were a few Common Linnet and a couple of Tree Pipit were nice for the day .
Also seen were the following butterflies , 3 Green Hairstreak , 4 Brimstone , 2 Small Tortoiseshell & 2 Small Heath , I then saw the best thing of the day for me an Emperor Moth only the second one I have ever seen .
Also seen were the following butterflies , 3 Green Hairstreak , 4 Brimstone , 2 Small Tortoiseshell & 2 Small Heath , I then saw the best thing of the day for me an Emperor Moth only the second one I have ever seen .
Wednesday, 1 June 2016
Birding Somerset
Today me and my mate Ken went up to do some birding in Somerset with our first stop at the Ham Wall RSPB Reserve where we saw 4 Great Bittern and heard another 5 booming , we also had 12 Great White Egret , 10 Little Egret , 4 Western Marsh Harrier , 500+ Common Swift , 2 male and 2 female Common Pochard , a male and female Gadwall and the following warblers were also seen , Cetti`s Warbler , European Reed Warbler , Sedge Warbler , Greater Whitethroat , Blackcap , Garden Warbler , Willow Warbler and Common Chiffchaff , on the way home we had a quick look at the RSPB Greylake Reserve and had another booming Great Bittern .
